"Faith"'

Today Cris Ann and me got really good news from Ashley, the blind widows daughter in-law. Ashley is 24 years old and will be having a baby sometime this month. Her situation has been really bad since Cris Ann and I first met her and her husband, Tangkoy. They have absolutely no money and Tangkoy has been seriously disturbed since his father passed away last year, leaving behind his blind wife and three blind sons. Tangkoy got drunk and beat up the local priest because he would not allow them to bury his father in the local cemetery because he was a Christian. Just last month he got drunk again and beat up Ashley, his pregnant wife. He really is one of the most unstable people I have ever known.

Ashley would come over often to ask for money and just have someone to talk to and support her. It is hard because Cris Ann and I don't have any money, we are way short on what we need to survive every month, so giving to them has been extra hard on us. Also, Tangkoy is a healthy, strong young man who is physically able to work. He could start a farm on their large property or be looking for work daily in town, but he doesn’t. Ashley and Tangkoy came over about a month ago and borrowed money because Tangkoy needed to process papers for a job he was trying to get. The United States is widening the road that circles this island as payment for the new military base that is being built. This has produced a lot of jobs and has really helped the local economy. But the construction has been going on for a year now so Tangkoy's chances of getting a job were slim. We gave them the money and we all prayed together for the Lord to make a way and work in Tangkoy's heart. Tangkoy has never really worked and because of his mental condition has never wanted to work, so I had serious doubts about this; it was a long shot for sure. Ashley has come by several other times since then asking for money, so I figured Tangkoy didn’t get the job. I recently read a Christian book on helping the poor and one of the points was not to give to those who can help themselves because it actually hurts them. This is a common theory, in drug addiction and in many other cases it is called, co-dependency. In the case of drug addiction, the person addicted to drugs has a person that they go to that will continually help them and bail them out of trouble. This does more damage to the person addicted to drugs and until the co-dependent cuts off the drug addict their chances of getting better are drastically lowered. So, I was really struggling with what to do. There is no biblical bases for this theory,  but I have lots of experience with it and have seen its affectivness when applied to drug addiction. However, every time Ashley came to ask for money and I started to think that I am being their co-dependent and Tangkoy needs to step up and support his family, I would hear Matthew 5:42 "Give to the one who asks you, and do not reject the one who wants to borrow from you." The whole context of this chapter is about extraordinary responses to those who try and take advantage of you. For example, if someone sues’ you for your coat, which was very valuable and necessary to stay warm, give them two. If a solider yanks you out of your house and makes you carry his gear for a mile, don't be mad but carry it two miles. If someone strikes you on the cheek, do not retaliate but give him the other. In this context Jesus says give to those who ask and do not reject those who ask to borrow. If anyone has had a person or persons ask to borrow from you repeatedly, then you know that those who are willing to . It almbarrow reapetedly are almost always irresponsible with money, has questionable work habits and can do much more for themselves than they are doing. This is the whole point of this segment in Matthew, love your enemies and give to those who don't deserve it at all. So I gave and ignored the book and what I know about co-dependency and just prayed for more wisdom in the situation. This morning Ashley came over and while Cris Ann was talking to her, I was in the room asking the Lord for wisdom on what to do. Cris Ann came in and like many times before I was ready to hear how much she needed and why she needed it. But that's not what Cris Ann said! She said Tangkoy got a job and Ashley is so thankful she is in tears and wants to pray together and thank the Lord. I was like 'YEAH!!!' thank you Lord! Not only did he get a job, but he was hired on, with no prior experience, for three years under contract. The majority of work is only for a short time and the workers are let go when the work passes their town and more locals are hired in the next town. But somehow they met the head engineer and although he denied him at first, the Lord worked in his heart to offer a job for three years. That is absolutely, positively a miracle! Jobs are few here and all are underpaid jobs with no chance of promotion. But the Lord provided an amazing job, with good pay and Tangkoy will be a skilled worker after three years. Ashley was one of the few people in the Philippines who did not believe in God. She was a reckless girl, which is why she hooked up with Tangkoy. She has scars up and down her wrists and forearms to show the type of life she has lived. When she got pregnant and Tangkoy lost it after his dad died, she became helpless. She saw her mother in law who trusted in God to provide so she turned to Him and ask for help. Right around this time Cris Ann and me met her for the first time.

As we sat together thanking the Lord, this tuff young lady began to thank us for being there for them through these hard times and not leaving them. What would have happened if I took the advice from the book and cut her and Tangkoy off after asking many times for money and not doing much at all to help themselves? I believe the Lord would have taken care of them the same, but Cris Ann and me would not have experienced the over flowing joy of being used by God in this way and our faith would not have been strengthend like it is. And more importantly, it most likely would have hurt our relationship with them because they would have felt as if we abandoned them. Now we are incredibly close in a way that can only be through the goodness of God. This is a highly debated section of scripture and we as Christians who hold the very Words of God are to apply the wisdom we get from His Word in every situation. However, some things we just have to do blind and even though it does not make sense and even seems counterproductive, we must trust the Lord in faith and do what He asks. This is living by faith and mine is so much stronger now after today! Thank You Lord!